Conventionally, there is a technology for performing communication between devices by use of near field communication such as NFC. By near field communication, communication between an information processing device and a storage device (so-called tag) starts in response to the storage device approaching the information processing device.
Conventionally, a storage device that is communicable with an information processing device by near field communication is merely used in a specific application program executed by the information processing device, and there has been room for improvement regarding the versatility of such a storage device.
Accordingly, this application discloses an information processing system, an information processing device, a storage medium storing an information processing program, and an information processing method, with which a storage device is usable in a more versatile manner, and such a storage device.
(1)
An example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device includes a storage unit storing application data usable in a predetermined application program and shared data usable in an application program regardless of whether the application program is the predetermined application program.
The information processing system includes a receiving unit, a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The receiving unit receives an instruction regarding data read and/or data write from/to the storage unit from an application program to be executed by the information processing device. In the case where the received instruction relates to the application data, under the condition that the instruction is from the predetermined application program, the first processing unit passes the application data read from the storage unit to the predetermined application program. In the case where the received instruction relates to the shared data, the second processing unit passes the shared data read from the storage unit to the application program that issued the instruction regardless of whether the instruction is from the predetermined application program.
(2)
The storage unit may store identification information that is set for each of types of storage devices. The predetermined application program may include identification information that is set for a type of storage device which stores the application data usable in the predetermined application program. The first processing unit may determine whether the received instruction is from the predetermined application program based on the identification information read from the storage unit and identification information acquired from the application program that issued the instruction.
(3)
The storage unit may store identification information specifying at least one type of predetermined application program which can use the application data. The receiving unit may receive, from the application program, the identification information corresponding to the application program that issued the instruction. The first processing unit may determine whether the received instruction is from the predetermined application program based on the identification information stored on the storage unit and the identification information acquired from the application program that issued the instruction.
(4)
The storage unit may store application data encrypted by a method which allows the encrypted data to be decrypted by the first processing unit and shared data encrypted by a method which allows the encrypted data to be decrypted by the second processing unit.
(5)
The storage device may have an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object which appears in a virtual space generated by executing the predetermined application program and which is represented by the application data and/or the shared data.
(6)
The storage unit may store, as the shared data, at least one type of data among identification information relating to the object, identification information relating to a group to which the object belongs, identification information specific to each of storage devices, and identification information representing the type of the storage device.
(7)
The information processing device may include a determination unit for, when near field communication is possible between the information processing device and a storage device, determining whether the storage device is a permitted storage device, an access to which by the information processing device is permitted. In the case where it is determined that the storage device with which the near field communication is possible for the information processing device is a permitted storage device, the receiving unit may execute a process conforming to the instruction from the application program to be executed by the information processing device.
(8)
The storage device may store at least a part of the shared data in a read-only area from which data can be read but to which data cannot be written, and may store the application data in a read/write area from which data can be read and to which data can be written.
(9)
The application data may be saved data of the predetermined application program.
(10)
Another example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device includes a storage unit storing shared data which relates to an object appearing in a predetermined application program and which is usable in an application program regardless of whether the application program is the predetermined application program.
The information processing device includes a first processing unit and a second processing unit. The first processing unit executes a first process of, for executing the predetermined application program, outputting information relating to the object to an output device using the shared data read from the storage unit. The second processing unit executes a second process of, for executing an application program different from the predetermined application program, outputting information relating to the object to the output device using the shared data read from the storage unit, the second process being different from the first process.
(11)
The information processing device may further include a determination unit and a permission unit. When near field communication is possible between the information processing device and a storage device, the determination unit determines whether the storage device is a permitted storage device, an access to which by an application program to be executed by the information processing device is permitted. Under the condition that the storage device with which the near field communication is possible for the information processing device is a permitted storage device, the permission unit permits the shared data to be used in the application program to be executed by the information processing device.
(12)
The first processing unit may execute a process of displaying the object on a display device as the first process. The second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process of displaying the object on the display device, the process being different from the first process.
(13)
The second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process of displaying the object in a different display state from the display state in which the object is displayed in the first process.
(14)
When executing a game application program different from the predetermined application program, the second processing unit may execute, as the second process, a process that does not influence progress of the game.
(15)
The storage device may have an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object represented by the shared data.
(16)
The storage device may store a hash value relative to part or all of the data stored thereon. The determination unit may determine whether the storage device is a permitted storage device based on a hash value calculated from data read from the storage device and the hash value read from the storage device.
(17)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification is an information processing system including a storage device; and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage device.
The storage device has an external appearance representing, three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally, an object that appears in a virtual space generated by executing a predetermined application program by the information processing device. The storage device stores first identification information relating to the object and second identification information relating to a group to which the object belongs.
The information processing device executes a predetermined process using the first identification information read from the storage device and executes the predetermined process using the second identification information read from the storage device.
(18)
The information processing device may include a first determination unit, a second determination unit, and a processing execution unit. The first determination unit determines, while executing an application program, whether the first identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed. The second determination unit determines whether the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed. In the case where at least one of the first identification information and the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution unit executes the predetermined process in the application program.
(19)
The predetermined process may be a process on the object.
In the case where the first identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution means may specify the object using the first identification information. In the case where the first identification information read from the storage device does not represent a value registered in the application program that is being executed and the second identification information read from the storage device represents a value registered in the application program that is being executed, the processing execution means may specify the object using the second identification information.
(20)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing shared data that is usable in an application program regardless of whether the application program is a predetermined application program.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a permission unit for permitting a predetermined process in the predetermined application program under the condition that registration data relating to a user and/or the information processing device is stored on the storage medium;
a determination unit for determining whether the registration data is stored on the storage medium; and
a registration processing unit for, in the case where the registration data is determined as not being stored on the storage medium, executing a process for storing the registration data on the storage medium.
(21)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing registration data relating to a user and/or the information processing device.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a determination unit for executing, commonly in a plurality of application programs, a process for determining whether the registration data is stored on the storage medium; and
a registration processing unit for, in the case where the registration data is determined by the determination unit as not being stored on the storage medium, executing a process for storing the registration data on the storage medium.
(22)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing registration data relating to a user and/or the information processing device.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a determination unit for determining whether the registration data is stored on the storage medium; and
a registration processing unit for, in the case where the registration data is determined by the determination unit as not being stored on the storage medium at the time when the registration data is to be read from and/or written to the storage medium, executing a process for storing the registration data on the storage medium.
(23)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a usable/non-usable determination unit for, in the case where the storage medium is made accessible during execution of a predetermined application, determining whether use information, indicating whether application data that is stored, or is to be stored, on the storage medium is usable in the predetermined application, is stored on the storage medium;
a writing unit for, at least under the condition that the use information is determined as not being stored on the storage medium, writing, to the storage medium, use information indicating that the application data that is stored, or is to be stored, on the storage medium is usable in the predetermined application; and
a permission unit for, under the condition that use information indicating that the application data is usable in a certain application is stored on the storage medium, permitting the certain application to use the application data stored on the storage medium.
(24)
The storage medium may store predetermined identification information.
The information processing device may further include the following units;
an acquisition unit for acquiring, from a predetermined application which is being executed, usability information representing identification information relating to a storage medium that is usable for storing application data in the predetermined application; and
a usable/non-usable determination unit for determining whether the storage medium is usable in the predetermined application based on the identification information stored on the storage medium and the acquired usability information.
In the case where the result of the determination by the usable/non-usable determination unit is positive, under the condition that the use information is determined as not being stored on the storage medium, the writing unit may write, to the storage medium, use information indicating that the application data that is stored, or is to be stored, on the storage medium is usable in the predetermined application.
(25)
The usability information may represent type identification information identifying a type of the storage medium.
The information processing device may further include an acquisition unit for acquiring, as the usability information, a list of type identification information identifying a type of the storage medium usable in the predetermined application.
The usable/non-usable determination unit may determine whether the type identification information stored on the storage medium is included in the list of type identification information.
(26)
The information processing device may further include a deletion unit for, in the case where the use information is stored on the storage medium, deleting the use information from the storage medium in response to an operation by a user.
(27)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing application data usable in a predetermined application program.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a backup storage unit for storing backup data of data to be stored on the storage medium; and
a data recovery unit for, in the case where data stored on the storage medium communicable with the information processing device is broken, even if the predetermined application program is not being executed by the information processing device, recovering the data stored on the storage medium using the backup data.
(28)
The information processing device may further include a writing unit for writing predetermined data to the storage medium.
The backup storage unit may store the predetermined data as the backup data before the predetermined data is written by the writing unit.
(29)
The information processing device may further include an identification information acquisition unit for acquiring identification information identifying the storage medium.
The backup storage unit may store the backup data in association with the identification information.
(30)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and a first information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium has an external appearance representing a predetermined object three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing a piece of information, different from object information representing the predetermined object, in a state of being encrypted by a first method, and storing the object information in a state of being encrypted by a second method different from the first method.
The first information processing device executes a process of using the object information stored on the storage medium to cause a display device to display the object.
(31)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and a first information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium has an external appearance representing a predetermined object three-dimensionally or two-dimensionally.
The storage medium includes a storage unit for storing a piece of information, different from object information representing the predetermined object, in a state of being encrypted by a first method, and storing the object information in a non-encrypted state.
The first information processing device executes a process of using the object information stored on the storage medium to cause a display device to display the object.
(32)
The information processing system may further include a second information processing device different from the first information processing medium.
The first information processing device does not include a first decryption processing function of decrypting information encrypted by the first method.
The second information processing device includes a first decryption processing unit for decrypting information encrypted by the first method and a second decryption processing unit for decrypting information encrypted by the second method.
(33)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The information processing device includes the following units:
a determination unit for determining whether the storage medium, made accessible to the information processing device during execution of a predetermined application, stores registration data relating to a user and/or the information processing device; and
a write processing unit for, in the case where the storage medium is determined as not storing the registration data, writing the registration data to the storage medium based on a registration content input by a user, and at the time when the registration data is written to the storage medium, writing information relating to the predetermined application to the storage medium regardless of whether there is an instruction of the user.
(34)
Still another example of information processing system described in this specification includes a storage medium and an information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium.
The storage medium stores identification information relating to a user regarding a network service accessible using the information processing device.
The information processing device is communicable with a server providing the network service.
When being permitted to communicate with the storage medium, the information processing device accesses the server using the identification information read from the storage medium, under a certain condition regardless of whether there is an instruction of the user.
(35)
The information processing system may include another information processing device for performing near field communication with the storage medium, the another information processing device being different from the information processing device.
The another information processing device includes a storage unit for storing the identification information.
The another information processing device communicates with the storage medium to cause the storage unit to store the identification information stored on the storage medium.
(36)
The another information processing device may access the server using the identification information stored on the storage unit.
This specification discloses an example of the information processing device or storage device included in the information processing system according to (1) through (36), and also disclose an example of non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing an information processing program which causes a computer of the information processing device to function as each of units of the information processing device. This specification discloses an example of information processing method executable by the information processing system.
According to an information processing system, an information processing device, a storage medium storing an information processing program, an information processing method and a storage device described above, the storage device performing near field communication can be used in a more versatile manner.
These and other objects, features, aspects and advantages will become more apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.